


Sixes

by agletbaby



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-23 17:45:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4885933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agletbaby/pseuds/agletbaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s strange to think that once, Futakuchi’s only links with Yahaba and Ennoshita were mutual disappointments and the numbers on their shirts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sixes

Six is Futakuchi’s lucky number.

This is something he’s recently decided. In fact, he can say exactly when: as soon as Moniwa had handed him a shirt emblazoned with a '6', bright against clean, blank white. He feels confident when he wears it, and ready to make others less so.

Plus, it’s a higher number than any of the other second years have. He revels in that.

 

He’s slightly offended then, that Karasuno’s number six is on the bench when Datekou play them. He doesn’t worry himself excessively over it, but he clicks his tongue and vaguely notes the face of the unused player before the match begins. He almost makes a comment to Onagawa about how Karasuno don’t stand a chance, without the luckiest number on court, but when he turns to do so, Onagawa has wandered off. He’s been avoiding spending too much time with Futakuchi lately, since his ‘Pantaloons’ nickname stuck.

It’s probably for the best that Futakuchi didn’t say anything, seeing as they end up the losers.

 

When they’re beaten by Aobajousai during the Spring Tournament, Futakuchi notices their number six is benched too. (Of course, Datekou’s starting line-up doesn’t include a six either anymore, but Futakuchi counts himself as an honorary one – it certainly feels more natural than two. That’s still too heavy for him.)

He doesn’t think much of this before the match, but an idea occurs to him when he’s talking at Aone on the bus ride home, just one of a barrage of excuses, justifications and what-ifs. “Maybe it's having a six that ruins everything,” he says desolately, and then, a beat later: “Maybe I’m cursed forever, because I was a six.”

Aone gives him a look, which even those less used to his subtle variations of his expression than Futakuchi, an expert now, would be able to identify as incredulous, but it's missed nevertheless. Futakuchi is thinking of Karasuno’s six, still a substitute this tournament, and Seijou’s, straining against the edge of the warmup box.

Really, Futakuchi isn’t superstitious, never really believed being a six would help or hinder him. It was an idle joke, perhaps a vague hope, but never said without a smirk. Yet, that moment, a desperate, casting search for an explanation as to why he’s failed as captain – failed his senpai and underclassmen and _team_ – means that the other two sixes, whose years he doesn’t know, whose names he has no idea of, stay on his mind.

 

A practice match against Karasuno is arranged, once all stages of the year’s tournaments have all ended. This is a prospect which Aone at least greets with silent enthusiasm, but Futakuchi is fairly apathetic towards - to him, that shortie is less rival, more nuisance, and the rest of the team seems to follow his lead. However, when the other school arrive at their gym and their six, now number one and with a name (“Ennoshita”, gravely said as the rest of his team file loudly in around him), introduces himself as captain, Futakuchi can’t help but grin.

“Hi,” Futakuchi begins, having slipped away from where his team are warming up, and over to Karasuno’s side of the court, where Ennoshita is overseeing theirs. “Nice to see you’re off the bench.”

Ennoshita looks up at him. “Yes,” he says cautiously. “I suppose it is.”

“We were both sixes,” Futakuchi says after a beat, realising all at once that there’s a significant amount of context on his side which Ennoshita isn’t privy to. “So I remember you.”

“Okay.” Ennoshita still doesn’t look convinced, but Futakuchi is use to less than positive reactions to his statements, relishes them as a rule, and he doesn't know what else there is to explain. Or at least, that he's willing to explain.

“Not last tournament though,” he says smugly. “I was a two then, and you were still only a six.”

At this, Ennoshita smiles. “But now, you’re still only a two, and I’m a one.”

Futakuchi isn’t sure how to reply.

(Datekou wins their match, but it’s unfairly close, considering how much more experience they have playing with this lineup. Still, it’s a good game, and he shakes Ennoshita’s hand with hardly any resentment at all.)

 

He doesn’t recognise Seijou’s number six at first. He remembers his face contorted in yelling, wrecked by fervour. However, Aobajousai’s new captain wears a studiedly blank expression as he leads his team into the gymnasium where the exhibition matches they’re both participating in are being held. Futakuchi only gets a glimpse of him anyway, before he has to go and apologise to another team for Koganegawa, who has knocked over their reserve libero.

He only realises that their six is, in fact, their six, when he encounters Ennoshita – who’s there because Karasuno has also been invited to play, as he explains with a look of slight offence when Futakuchi expresses disbelief at their meeting. This has just been clarified when Seijou’s captain rounds the corner and Ennoshita waves him over, having also had practice matches with his team. It’s as he’s introducing himself that Futakuchi works it out – that the three sixes are now a trio of captains – and he’s so struck with delight at this coincidence that doesn’t mean anything to anyone but him that he has to get Seijou’s captain to repeat his name.

“Yahaba,” says Yahaba, sulkily.

Futakuchi smiles widely at him. Both Yahaba and Ennoshita look slightly unsettled.

* * *

 

 **futakuchiiiii Formed The Group ‘SIXES’ (18:02)  
** **futakuchiiiii (18:04):** yooooo  
**ennoshita (18:05):** hi  
**Yahaba (18:05):** What is this?  
**futakuchiiiii (18:06):** a group chat wow yahaba i thought u were smart  
**Yahaba (18:07):** Why?  
**futakuchiiiii (18:07):** thats a big question. many say the big bang is where it began…  
**Yahaba (18:08):** You know what I mean.  
**futakuchiiiii (18:09):** lol soz ok basically i thought itd be good if we captains could trade info and stuff u kno ???  
**futakuchiiiii (18:09):** <(￣︶￣)>  
**ennoshita (18:12):** it could be useful  
**futakuchiiiii (18:12):** yaaaaaayyyyyyyy  
**Yahaba (18:13):** Fine.  
**futakuchiiiii (18:15):** ♡ ～('▽^人)  
**Yahaba (18:19):** What's the name mean? There are only three of us, you realise.  
**futakuchiiiii (18:19):** it’s a secret lol ⌒(o＾▽＾o)ノ  
**Yahaba (18:21):** Right.  
**ennoshita (18:24):** it’s because we all had sixes on our shirts last year.  
**ennoshita (18:24):** i assume?  
**futakuchiiiii (18:28):** wow ennoshita  
**futakuchiiiii (18:28):** u have no sense of mystery  
**Yahaba (18:30):** You have no sense of mystery – that was a boring secret.  
**Yahaba (18:30):** And dumb.  
**futakuchiiiii (18:31):** ( ╥ω╥ ) 

* * *

 

 **futakuchiiiii (21:06):** so how’s everyone feeling abt tomorrow??  
**futakuchiiiii (21:06):** pretty weird that this is our final high school volleyball tournament lmao ( >﹏<)  
**Yahaba (21:08):** Thanks so much for the reminder.  
**Yahaba (21:09):** Have you considered checking on your team’s morale instead of talking to us?  
**futakuchiiiii (21:10):** i’ve already done that  
**futakuchiiiii (21:10):** bc i’m a great captain  
**futakuchiiiii (21:11):** so now i’m here to lower yours  
**futakuchiiiii (21:11):** u suck lol  
**futakuchiiiii (21:13):** ⌒(o＾▽＾o)ノ  
**futakuchiiiii (21:17):** hey don’t ignore meee  
**Yahaba (21:19):** We'll beat you.  
**futakuchiiiii (21:19):** no we’ll beat u and also every1 else  
**ennoshita (21:24):** you’re both wrong  
**futakuchiiiii (21:25):** nope ur going down the iron wall will block all  
**ennoshita (21:27):** all talk.  
**ennoshita (21:28):** good luck though.  
**ennoshita (21:28):** but not too much luck.  
**Yahaba (21:28):** Good luck to you too.  
**Yahaba (21:30):** …Both of you.  
**futakuchiiiii (21:31):** awwwwww i’m touched i love u guys 2~~  
**Yahaba (21:31):** OK.  
**Yahaba (21:46):** I’m going to get ready for bed now but I suppose I’ll probably see you tomorrow.  
**ennoshita (21:47):** night  
**Yahaba (21:47):** Goodnight.  
**Yahaba (22:02):** Do you think Futakuchi’s fallen asleep?  
**ennoshita (22:06):** he’s not denying it so probably  
**Yahaba (22:08):** Cute.

* * *

 

 **futakuchiiiii (10:34):** so i was thinking  
**futakuchiiiii (10:35):** bc we’re not rivals anymore we should be friends or whatever  
**futakuchiiiii (10:35):** lmao  
**futakuchiiiii (10:36):** lol  
**futakuchiiiii (10:36):** ☆ ～('▽^人)  
**futakuchiiiii (10:37):** rofl  
**Yahaba (11:01):** I prefer whatever.  
**futakuchiiiii (11:01):** yahabaaaaaa where’ve u been????  
**Yahaba (11:03):** Class.  
**futakuchiiiii (11:04):** lame  
**futakuchiiiii (11:04):** just like u  
**Yahaba (11:05):** I’m loving our friendship so far.  
**futakuchiiiii (11:05):** thought u preferred whatever?? lmao  
**ennoshita (12:15):** hey so if you actually want to do something as a group there’s a film i want to see on this weekend?  
**futakuchiiiii (12:15):** ennoshita hi hi hi  
**Yahaba (12:15):** Sounds good.  
**futakuchiiiii (12:16):** awesomeeee plan~~  
**ennoshita (12:17):** cool i’ll find the times.

* * *

 

It’s strange to think that once, Futakuchi’s only links with Yahaba and Ennoshita were mutual disappointments and the numbers on their shirts.

Some things have stayed the same since then. Six is still his lucky number. Two, it turns out, isn’t bad either, not at all (he still feels a rush of pride when he considers what he’s achieved in that shirt, and has to hold back a smile, not wanting to be caught grinning to himself).

But six is responsible for why Futakuchi is here, today, feeling glad. It's a bright, sunny day, warm for early spring, and Futakuchi’s mood matches the weather well, even though he’s waiting alone. He’s outside Sendai station, hanging around until Yahaba and Ennoshita arrive, so they can be on their way. They never do much exciting when they meet – go to the cinema, if they’re organised, or just wander, stopping to eat whenever they get hungry. Today they’ve not planned anything. They’re keeping it carefully casual. No big deal.

 

It genuinely doesn’t really feel like a big deal to Futakuchi, although he's sure Yahaba would disagree. Last night, once they’d decided on not deciding, his texts had slowly descended into melodrama, until finally, around midnight, Futakuchi had given up reading them and said goodnight, already half asleep. He’d woken up to find he’d missed an overdrawn conversation, featuring an impressive number of movie examples, used by Ennoshita in an attempt to prove change could be good.

It’s Wednesday, which means Yahaba’s leaving in – Futakuchi counts his fingers against his leg – three days. Ennoshita’s not going long after, and then he’s going himself the following weekend. It’s been coming for a long time, this departure - to respective universities, but more pressingly, away from Miyagi – but it's arrived with unseemly speed. This is their trio's last meeting until some vague, unknown time in the future, and it's too sudden, an arranged surprised. Whilst their group is pretty newly formed, it’s one which will not part easily.

Still, Futakuchi’s fine. He’s happy, in fact, under this burningly blue sky, and he feels momentarily bad about that. But he’s not worried about losing touch with anyone, which he thinks is what Yahaba’s concern was last night, and why Ennoshita’s been so much quicker to reply to texts in the last couple of weeks. He has confidence in their ability to stay close.

He can't remember an exact cause, but as long as Futakuchi's known Ennoshita, he's admired him - for both his steadfast surface, and all the tumbling passion below. Yahaba, on the other hand, had seemed like another person to annoy at first, except without either of them realising, the teasing had become fond, the back and forth drained of all malice. Almost as suddenly as today has arrived, Futakuchi has found two best friends. He taps his fingers on his thigh again, impatiently, a summons. 

As he does so, he spots Yahaba and Ennoshita in a sudden surge of people who’ve just got off a train – they get the same line to the station, and so make part of the journey together - and the timing seems like some sort of sign. The universe believes in them too. He bounds over, grinning, and they wave, and greetings are exchanged and it’s no longer awkward or antagonistic. He can hardly imagine that it ever was. They fall into a rhythm together easily, and Futakuchi thinks they might just be always able to find it.

It’s not odd that there’s a naturalness between them now. They spend enough time talking, even if it’s not face to face, and when it is they draw out their meetings as long as possible. Moreover, they’re linked by captaincy, by winning, by losing. And, originally, they share frustration and a number. And it’s these, Futakuchi thinks, these tiny starting points, which will keep them together, keep them close, keep them linked.

Walking through Sendai, on a bright morning, Futakuchi feels lucky.

**Author's Note:**

> i came up with the idea for this fic in a kayak


End file.
